Princess
by Fact Vs Fiction
Summary: Lovely Nanao-chan isn't quite who her captain thought she was. She's still his lovely Nanao-chan though.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Princess**

**Author: Fact Vs Fiction**

**Rating: T (for now)**

**Pairing: ShunsuiXNanao**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**A/N: **Okay so this file was date marked almost two years ago. I found it in a folder of old Organic Chem coursework tagged "…". I had completely forgotten it even existed until I opened it! Dawned on me that I actually have it written up to the big fight scene so it's essentially complete. Thought I'd post it for you guys. Obviously, since it was written almost two years ago it's AU, although it was that anyway… Enjoy!

**Princess**

"That is ridiculous!" Nanao hissed.

Shunsui immediately pulled himself back around the door and masked what was left of his reiatsu, listening. Nanao-chan had been his lieutenant long enough for him to identify her tone of voice. There was frustration, exasperation, Unwilling amusement and embarrassment all of which were normal in their day to day conversation but Shunsui had only very rarely heard this particular tone. Nanao Ise was furious.

"What's ridiculous is your notion of independence and self sufficiency!"

"I _am _independent and self sufficient!"

"Dad'll disown you if he ever hears that."

"I don't care what that man does to me. I haven't seen nor heard from him in centuries. Instead he sends you or Nee-san or your kaa-san as his little messengers and it makes me sick!"

"He only let you come down here to find a husband. Too picky for the royal guard." The other woman mocked.

"The royal guard are so far up their own posteriors nobody knows which end is up." Nanao dismissed.

Shunsui had to work incredibly hard not to laugh at that one. It was so typically Nanao-chan.

"Furthermore he allowed me to come because he's scared of me and apparently what my emancipation would do to his reputation. God forbid he ever have a child with any usable reiatsu but one with captain's capability? That's exactly why he divorced my mother and you know that. I belong _here_. I am happy _here_. I have worth _here_ even if you and the rest of those upper class morons refuse to recognise that that's your problem! I will not marry to keep father happy. There is no point to me marrying. Didn't you just have your fourth son?"

"Fourth and fifth. Twins."

"Well then he has plenty of heirs doesn't he?"

"Nee-san-"

"The next time I see you, your kaa-san or our sister down here I _will _file for legal emancipation and you can tell the old man I said that."

"A princess can't emancipate herself!"

"The only way he'll stop me is laying claim to me and lord knows that'll hurt his reputation even worse than losing the daughter nobody really remembers anyway so with all due respect hime-chan, watch me!"

The other women choked on her words a few seconds before Nanao saved her the trouble of replying.

"Get out of here before someone sees you."

"Fine!"

The woman stormed from the room and Nanao sat down behind her desk, pinching the bridge of her nose tiredly.

"Would you like to hear the whole story taichou or is that sufficient for your curiosity?" She asked eventually. Outside the door Shunsui jumped at the address. He was so sure he'd gotten away with it. Slowly he stepped around the door.

For a long moment they just stared at each other, all conversation occurring through their eyes. He was itching to bow to her. She could see it. She couldn't blame him, it's what he was raised to do. Nobles could only dream of running into a member of the royal family. His compulsion to bow was natural but it hurt her so so badly.

Her eyes filled with tears even as he watched her and she blinked them back, frustrated.

"This is why I never told you, why I never told anybody. Please. Please don't bow to me taichou. I don't want it. I don't want any of it." She whispered.

"Nanao-chan." He murmured. Before she could blink she was in his arms. Normally she'd scold him for hugging her. It wasn't appropriate as a captain to a subordinate but now all she could do was squeeze back with all her might because it _was_ inappropriate. You do not hug members of the royal family. His actions told Nanao it would all be okay. That she could still be Nanao-chan, still be fukutaichou of the eighth. It meant everything.

She lost awareness of how long he held her like that. A small eternity anyway. As she got it together she accepted that she wasn't going to get out of this without a complete explanation. She supposed that if she were to tell anyone Kyoraku-Shunsui was about as politically correct as one could get while breaking the law. Decided she finally pulled back and he allowed her. She spoke before he could.

"I am willing to tell you everything taichou, just, remember that my father can and probably would have us both arrested for sharing what I'm about to tell you if he ever found out."

"I still want to hear. Big secret Nanao-chan. I can do those. Plenty of experience in that."

"I know." Nanao agreed. His eyebrows shot up.

"You've met my father."

"A story for later. It's easier to start at the beginning, but not here."

Shunsui understood her wariness. She was a princess of the royal family for heavens sake, even knowing that was grounds for his execution. He nodded, taking her hand, and disappearing in a shunpo. He didn't bat an eyelid when she matched his pace. He got the impression that his Nanao-chan had a lot of secrets. He was just happy to finally hear them.

"Where are we?" Asked Nanao as they stopped by a waterfall surrounded by greenery.

"One of my favourite spots to hide when I really don't want you to find me." He said with a slight grin. "It's Kyoraku land, no inhabitants for ten miles in any direction. She nodded and approached the water's edge.

"Ask away."

"You're the eldest? The kings daughter by his first wife?"

"That's me. The shame of the royal family." She cracked a small smile. "My father was never meant to be king. He was the youngest of four boys. When he married within the royal guard nobody batted an eyelid. He'd never have to produce heirs because he'd never have the crown. It's quite normal for the younger children, particularly the female ones. Anyone who has to rule or produce an heir has their partner handpicked. Heirs to the throne should not hold spiritual power. It encourages interest in the fighting arts and the king is a purely political position. Anyway my father was put in charge after an unfortunate accident involving all three of his brothers and suddenly he had to produce heirs. Needless to say I was not welcomed with open arms. Not only was I female but I had a huge amount of reiatsu. Unacceptable for a lady of the royal family. It was obvious that his genes were recessive when placed with my mother's and he divorced her shortly after my birth. It broke his heart to do it, but the political pressure was far too much. I still saw her, she was a higher up in the guard. She died in the line of duty when I was seven. Protecting my father's second wife ironically enough."

"That's nasty."

"To my mom only one thing came before work and that was me. She died a heroic death and was highly decorated for her sacrifice. Anyway. Seven years was enough for me to get a taste of life in the hot seat. My reiatsu was completely out of control when I was a toddler and I had to be trained, there was no way around it. I was dangerous. After mom died there was no way in hell I was giving it up. I wasn't important, I'd been written out of the throne line and as a mother of heirs because of my power and my father let me do as I pleased against the courts wishes. It was his last gift to my mother."

"He still loved her."

"My father married for love and was corrupted by politics." Nanao agreed.

"I think you were ahead. It was messy but I've always felt that knowing you came from love is good for the soul."

"I don't disagree. So. Where my younger sisters were raised by nannies and nurses I was raised by the royal guard. You can only imagine the effect that had on me, being surrounded by captains and lieutenants all day."

Shunsui grinned.

"I'm sure that made you an interesting character."

"Oh it did." Nanao agreed, swinging herself up into a tree and walking out on a limb over the water. Her balance was phenomenal, Shunsui noted as she held her position.

"I don't know if you're aware of the practice but each of the royal children are given a protective guardian…"

"My father's a guardian, isn't he?"

"He was. He was my guardian from the day my mother died. My father appointed him to keep an eye on me. Make sure I was never too involved in the world of the guard. He covered for me constantly, let me train, taught me meditation and sword arts when my father wasn't looking. The whole guard took my abilities on as a project. Kuku was a dreadful kidou artist but when he found out how well I was taking to it he did everything to make sure I got the best help possible from the kidou division. By the time I turned seventy I was teaching them. I taught the whole guard. Kuku was so willing to learn." She laughed a little. "He was a hopeless case. Definitely where you got your kidou ability from, you throw it just like him. All brute strength and will, no fineness whatsoever."

Shunsui chuckled.

"So my dad raised you."

"He was more of a father to me than my own ever was. That's probably hard to hear, when you were split up from him…"

"Not really… I was in the academy when he was promoted. Well grown. I understood where and why he went. I'm just glad he got the chance again after my mother died."

"He loves her very much. I heard constant stories."

Shunsui smiled at that.

"The courts went right on disapproving of me. The only positive thing they could find was that I was so involved with the guard I'd easily find a husband."

"I take it that didn't work out so well."

Nanao snorted from her spot in the tree, dropping her Zampaktou to the ground below her.

"I wasn't of marriageable appearance when I left, you know that, but they organise royal weddings young… Being able to kick most of the men on the guard into shape is not conductive to finding a husband."

Shunsui full out belly laughed at the matter of fact statement. Nanao dropped the black part of her upper uniform.

"You'll freeze." He warned her, knowing exactly what she was up to. She shrugged and dropped her clip and glasses before diving gracefully into the water below her. She came back up, flipping her hair from her face.

"Cold?"

"No. Men are fragile. Can't deal with cold, can't marry a girl who can hurt them either. Needless to say marriage never happened. Your father decided it was all his doing. He never could get his youngest to settle either."

Shunsui smiled at that.

"I started getting restless and he could see it. I waited it out a while. You know nobles age slower than normal souls. Like you look under thirty-five where as Yamamoto looks half dead?"

Shunsui nodded.

"It's even worse for royals." She said, absently doing backstroke across the water. "I'm almost seven hundred now for example."

"Wow." Said Shunsui simply. She looked nothing over twenty when she dropped the authoritarian guise.

"It's a pain. It meant I was close to four hundred before I reached an appearance acceptable by the academy. Your dad was plotting to get me out. By then it was so obvious I didn't belong in my family it was scary. Eventually they let me out on a few conditions."

"Which were?" He asked, amused.

"My official reason for being here is finding a husband, I cannot break my cover even to a prospective husband. If I dared go near a Rukongai soul I was dead… Usual rubbish. The final condition was the one to try and insure I return. I'm allowed absolutely no contact with your father or the guard."

Shunsui took in a sharp breath.

"That hurt badly, to the point where I wasn't going to go. Kuku sat me down and told me under no uncertain terms that I _was _going whether I liked it or not and that I was acting like a hime-chan. Ultimate insult to me."

"Sounds like dad to me." Said Shunsui with a fond grin.

"Anyway, I went through the academy as cover. An untrained soul of my skill would raise suspicion. The most boring years of my life but I made it through with my sanity intact, graduated and here I am."

"Gods." Murmured Shunsui. "That is a huge amount to take in."

"You aren't meant to." Nanao reminded him good naturedly.

"True… So you haven't seen or spoken to dad since you left?"

"I'm not allowed." She said glumly. "Do you get to see him?" She asked curiously.

"Once a year at an undisclosed location. He took a big interest in you when I first mentioned you were lieutenant. I had always put it down to your ability to keep me in line. It makes sense now.

She nodded, flipping like a fish in the water.

"What were your thoughts when I chose you for the eighth? I know I wouldn't have been happy…"

"I was undecided. On one hand you were making being away from Kuku far harder and maintaining that tie with my family that I didn't want but on the other you're the captain I have the most time for even then and you keep me on my toes, never a dull moment."

"You said you're captain capable but how captain capable are we speaking?"

Nanao read that one loud and clear. With the exception of Aizen the captains could be older generation or younger generation. Research was showing that new souls were getting less and less reiatsu powerful by the century.

"Higher end of the older generation."

Translated, Shunsui knew that meant stronger than Unohana, and Ukitake now that his illness was finally showing effects. Nobody was quite sure where Aizen sat in relation to Shunsui but Shunsui sat directly under Yamamoto power-wise otherwise. Having listened to her story Shunsui didn't doubt that she could at least match him if not beat him. She wasn't going to tell him either.

"You have your bankai?"

"I had to do something to keep myself busy in the academy. I achieved it two years after I finished." She dived again.

"You're good in the water."

"I'd want to be, it's my element. That's all you're getting though."

He shook his head, watching her dive and flip in the lagoon. He couldn't ask for anything else.

He fell silent, pensive, and Nanao knew something was bothering him.

"Ask." She ordered.

"How different is your personality, to the Nanao I know?"

She stilled at that one. That was a loaded question, quite literally interpreted as are you a stranger? Are you a lie?

He saw her still and knew she'd understood as she waded back to shore. She grabbed her uniform top to sit on and joined him on the bank. They sat silently for a few minutes.

"I'm not a stranger." She offered eventually. "The organised, rule abiding, honest, patient Nanao is completely real. There are a few things that couldn't be helped. Obviously I'm far stronger than you were ever told, than anyone was ever told…"

"I always maintained you were. Jyuu thinks I'm nuts."

She laughed a little.

"The other thing is the authoritarian. I am quite serious and quiet, I'm bookish and have no alcohol tolerance but I'm not as robotic as you've known me to be in the past and I'm not asexual."

Shunsui snickered.

"That's all protection. I have to be as unattractive as possible. That's the hairstyle as well, and the lack of makeup…"

"Why?"

"What do you know about nobles? They mark members of their families with the family crest. Could you imagine someone finding the royal crest in the bedroom."

"That could be quite an interesting conversation. Hey sweetheart are you a princess?"

"You see my point."

"So you're honestly telling me you've been celibate your entire life?"

He looked absolutely horrified at the very idea and Nanao laughed softly.

"Not my entire life… I may have looked very young but I was four hundred cut me some slack taichou! I probably shouldn't be telling you this but it isn't just the royals up there. It's like another seireitei with a whole different nobility and then the guard. Of course the problem with that is unless one or more of your parents are on the guard you're generally inbred."

"That was harsh."

"True though. How did you think they kept the reiatsu out of the royal family?"

"That's kind of creepy." he admitted. "But seriously? You're celibate since you came down here? That's bizarre."

She rolled her eyes.

"It's not that bad. You're just addicted." She said matter of factly.

"Nope. You've obviously just never had a decent lover. You've missed the whole connecting part."

"Whatever you say taichou." She rolled her eyes. "The fact of the matter is that isn't going to change anytime soon."

"Can you hide it at all?"

"I can with a kidou I created but it requires constant concentration."

"Something you can't maintain in the bedroom."

"Precisely. I can't believe I'm actually having this conversation with you… The kidou is for medical purposes."

"What if you pass out?"

"Then I'm in trouble. I've developed a ridiculously high pain threshold over the years though."

"Sounds like a lot off hard work to me."

"No. The Shinigami is something I enjoy doing. Hard work was the royal dimension." She rolled her eyes.

"You always seem so lost when conversation turns noble around you."

"The less I know the better. Who wants a wife who knows nothing. What you have to remember is they'd make me return taichou."

"That's a good point."

"I know. We have a meeting in a half hour and I need to change my clothes now." She said, rising. He nodded, rising after her as she gathered up her possessions. She turned around and smiled at the way he was watching her.

"Before you get enthralled in guessing where it is taichou it's nowhere so interesting. She pulled the white fabric of her uniform tight over the skin of her back to show the black marks on the back of her right shoulder."

He grinned at how apparently transparent he was to her then pouted.

"My Nanao-chan is no fun. That could have kept me amused the long boring meeting."

"Might I remind you that you happen to be the captain in this situation I shouldn't be taking notes for you in the first place."

"But Nanao-chan it's so boring." He whined.

"Lets go taichou."

**Reviews? **


	2. Chapter 2

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I will get straight to the point." Yamamoto boomed. "It would appear that Aizen is putting plans to create a new king's key into action." He looked around the hall gravely. "Arrancar and hollow numbers in the earth town Karakura have soared in recent days. Espada activity has been non-existent probably in preparation for battle. The captains and lieutenants will immediately begin preparations to meet Aizen and his group in Karakura. Someone please turn out the lights so we may use the simulation pads."

Shunsui glanced at his lieutenant in the semi-darkness. He could tell she was uncomfortable about something. She was fidgeting, it wasn't like her at all. Her thumbs pressed into the material of her sleeves before releasing, smoothing and repeating the sequence. She was paying no attention to the simulation, instead staring right through it.

"Have you something to say?" He murmured into her ear. The darkness obscured them enough to do it unnoticed.

She nodded, looking straight ahead.

"It's obviously important. Just say it Nanao-chan."

She fidgeted a minute more before drawing a breath.

"Permission to speak." She spoke up, voice blessedly even.

Yamamoto set her with a testing gaze. It was well known the man wasn't fond of the eighth division lieutenant.

"Granted, Ise-fukutaichou. Is there something you aren't following?"

"No sir. I just wonder how we came into the knowledge that Aizen would attack Karakura? Is it conclusive?"

"Karakura is the only town in Japan with a spirit density high enough Ise-fukutaichou." Said Ukitake frowning.

"Then how do we know he's attacking earth?"

"You question as to whether he'll attack soul society?" Asked Soifon, frowning.

"It makes far more sense. Even if he did create the kings key on earth I sincerely doubt it could be used on earth in which case he'd need to gain entrance to soul society anyway. A single Rukongai district would give him the spiritual energy to make the key and he'd have instant access. We dismissed Seireitei in the past because it is too well protected but if he's predicted the move to deploy all captains and lieutenants to earth then Seireitei is completely unprotected as far as he's concerned."

"I hadn't even considered that." Hitsugaya admitted.

"That sounds disturbingly plausible." Said Ukitake.

"I don't suggest that Karakura isn't in danger for a second, he'll send the espada to keep everyone busy no doubt, but the safety of soul society needs to be ensured also."

"You think he'll enter soul society alone."

"Alone or with the other two. Probably alone with his ego. Lets be realistic nobody left behind will be any challenge for him. One Rukongai district and it becomes the guard's problem."

"It cannot be allowed to progress that far. We can't allow the royal family be placed in such danger! The line is fragile. The eldest male heir is just a child!"

"What's wrong with a female heir?" Said Soifon testily.

"There has never been a female ruler." Byakuya dismissed. "It is also common knowledge that the eldest daughter has shamed the family. Someone so unstable could not be allowed rule even temporarily."

"Unstable, Nanao-chan?" Shunsui questioned into her ear.

"Completely unhinged sir. Can't you tell?" She whispered back. He snorted in amusement.

"Kyoraku-taichou. Ise-fukutaichou. Would you like to share what you find so amusing in this dire situation?" Asked Yamamoto disapprovingly.

"No thanks Yama-Ji." Said Shunsui amused.

"Ise-fukutaichou?"

"Oh it's not important sir. We were just debating how many years in prison could be handed down for the very suggestion that the king could die. On that point it's safe to say that for Aizen to rule he would need to kill or at least imprison the whole royal family in which case the mental stability of the eldest daughter is of no importance whatsoever. Another discussion that could end in imprisonment. I wonder should we not be focusing on how to defend both here and earth at the same time with limited resources?"

Yamamoto was not impressed it would seem but he couldn't fault her either so he settled with the I am not amused look. As Shunsui liked to call it. It was one he received frequently and he found the fact that Nanao was getting it highly amusing. If Yama-Ji only knew.

"You are correct. Considering this is your theory Ise-san how would you go about it?"

"Well. A soul reaper's job is to protect the earth and the king so naturally we cannot ignore either. What we must remember is that the king and royal family have another line of defence that the earth does not. I believe we should send the majority of the senior officers to earth and hold maybe two or three captains back in soul society."

"That is putting a lot of trust in the royal guard." Said Renji. "They've never even fought Aizen before."

"The royal guard is composed completely of taichou and fukutaichou though. The history books will tell you that they aren't a small group." Shunsui piped up. "Most of us have never fought Aizen face to face so they are no less qualified than the rest of us, ne?"

"True." Said Hisagi.

"I like Ise's idea to be honest but I'd leave at least one lieutenant to do the running." Said Soifon.

"Ise herself is down to stay and run strategics." Said Yamamoto.

"So which captains then?"

"Kyoraku-taichou?" Said Yamamoto.

"I'll stay." Shunsui agreed. "Jyuu-san?"

"I'll stay too."

"That's decided then. Until you are called to your posts everyone is to be on full alert. Ise-san you will have full control over the remaining Shinigami. Use them as you see fit for both soul society and the real world."

"Yes sir."

"Everyone is dismissed. Kyoraku-taichou. Stay."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Where are we going taichou?" Asked Nanao, reappearing in a deep purple Yukata with lilac cherry blossoms.

"Let your hair down and take off your glasses. You need to look as little like yourself as possible. We're collecting Jyuu and heading out to a small hole in the wall bar in the thirteenth. Yama-Ji's pulled every string in the book, Dad is coming down to talk shop."

"Taichou do you know how much trouble everyone can get in for this?!"

"I do. Yama-Ji doesn't though. As long as dad doesn't blow it when he sees you we'll be okay and I sincerely doubt he will. Dad doesn't know I know remember. Jyuu is under the impression that my father is dead so there'll be enough left unsaid that we can hide it. Yama-Ji wants you there since obviously this is your strategy."

Nanao looked uncertain.

"Come on Nanao-chan if it all goes pear-shaped we can just blame Yama-Ji. Everyone knows your dad adores him."

"For good reason." Nanao muttered.

"Nanao-chan." He warned. "Tell me."

"My mother was Lilia Yamamoto taichou. Yamamoto-Soutaichou is my uncle."

"Oh no way! Seriously?!"

"Yep. Good isn't it?"

"He can't stand you!"

"I know. He's also under the impression that I'm mentally unhinged. I have a loving extended family."

Shunsui chuckled.

"I suppose he hated my mom when she was alive too. They were meant to found the academy together."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. His primary reason for hating me is that I look just like my mother I think. That's unconscious on his part obviously but it's there. Anyway! Aren't we going to get Ukitake-taichou?"

"Lets go then."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Nanao took a deep breath as she laid eyes on Kyoraku- Kuku. He hadn't seen them yet and sat staring idly into space. He was older than Nanao remembered, his hair was peppered with grey where it had once been a few shades darker than her captain's. His laugh lines were far deeper ingrained but his eyes still danced with the same laughter that she remembered from her childhood. His slight smile still just as comforting now as it was in the past too. Luckily for Nanao Ukitake had stopped dead giving her a chance to get herself together.

"Shunsui is that..?"

"It is Jyuu." Said Shunsui carefully. "Lets go, Nanao-chan."

They weaved their way through tables to get to the quiet corner booth. The older man looked up as they approached and his smile widened as he set eyes on his son. Those intelligent eyes flicked across Ukitake and paused a second on Nanao before returning to Shunsui.

"Shunsui!"

"Hey dad." He said quietly, accepting a hug from the older man before stepping back. "You remember Jyuushiro?"

"I do. You've done a lot of growing since I last saw you." Said Kuku, shaking the captain's hand happily. Ukitake managed a shaky smile. For all intents and purposes the poor man was talking to a dead guy. Nanao reasoned.

"And who in the world is this lovely lady?"

"Dad meet my beautiful lieutenant Ise Nanao." Nanao smacked him for that one, causing the older man to laugh. "Nanao-chan. My dad Kyoraku-Kuku."

"It's my pleasure to meet you hime-chan." He said sweeping down to kiss the back of her hand. Shunsui had to bite his tongue to hide his laugh but couldn't quite disguise the smile at the sparkle that came to Nanao's eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too sir."

"Hands off my lieutenant dad." Shunsui teased.

"Your lieutenant eh?" Said Kuku, eyes dancing with laughter.

"Yes my-" Nanao smacked him.

"Can we get on with this please?"

"Yes Nanao-chan." Said Shunsui dutifully.

"Good to know you're a kept man Shunsui." Said his father amused. "She keeps him in line Jyuushiro-san?"

"Yes sir. Eighth wouldn't run without her."

"Seireitei wouldn't run without her." Shunsui muttered.

"That's probably true." Said Ukitake amused. "Anyway back to business."

"Nanao-chan is going to fill you in dad, this is her strategy."

"I'm listening."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"That's quite ingenious." Said Kuku, scratching his chin. "You're a smart woman Ise-fukutaichou."

"Thank you." She said with a small smile.

"Dad, Nanao-chan will you be okay if Jyuu and I go and order lunch? I owe him a little chat."

"Go on ahead Shunsui."

Nanao nodded her agreement.

"When did you tell Shunsui?"

"He found out yesterday Yuki came to visit and wasn't very subtle. She confronted me in the office… How'd you know?"

"He was dying to laugh when I addressed you, Hime-chan."

"Don't call me that." She said amused. He laughed before suddenly turning serious. His eyes softened and he reached for her hands.

"You've grown so much Nanao."

"I should hope so." She said with a soft smile. "What happened to you and your never going grey crusade?"

He chuckled.

"Mother nature out ran me unfortunately." He said, good natured.

She giggled.

"So why are you still a fukutaichou? The guys thought you'd gone soft when I told them."

She shrugged.

"Maybe I have… Maybe I just didn't need the hassle. I'm happy where I am. Never a dull moment."

"That son of mine better be looking after you."

"He does when it matters… Otherwise it tends to be the other way around."

He laughed.

"Why doesn't that surprise me in the slightest? You can imagine my shock when Shunsui first mentioned you ten years after you left. Of all the squads to put you on I was certain it wouldn't be his. The Nanao I knew would've throttled him."

"I've come very very close, trust me." Said Nanao, glancing over at the backs of the two men and rolling her eyes. "But we're a good team, regardless of how different we appear." She offered with a soft smile.

"I could tell the minute you walked in."

"So what have I missed up above?"

"Not too much at all… There's been a couple of big hollow invasions. Your sister just had twins."

"So I heard."

"Other than that the usual scandal. We got Soto and Kagura into bed together last century. They've two now."

"That's sweet."

"Oh and you'll like this. Kyoto and Hana."

"I told you!" Said Nanao smugly.

"Oh come on! They hated each other!"

"Please. They were like the little kids on the playground that hurt each other because they couldn't face the truth."

"Love-hate?"

"Exactly."

"So you'd see that in any couple that behave like them?"

"Yes to an-"

She saw the glint too late.

"No!"

"You said it, Hime-chan. Not me."

Nanao scowled at her adoptive father.

"I do not!"

"Of course." Agreed the older man, humming softly to himself.

"You know you've gotten no less annoying in your old age." She shot.

"Ow. That hurt Nanao. That doesn't change the fact of the matter though." He almost sang.

"Can we please not talk about this?" Nanao muttered.

He grinned as he spotted the colour rising high in her cheeks. It took a huge amount to get a rise out of his charge even as a child. He'd hit the nail on the head.

"I don't see why you'd get so worked up over it. There's no way you've worked for Shunsui almost three hundred years without being convinced to go for a roll in the hay. That's just how he is."

"Well you'll be shocked to know that I'm the only woman in the history of Seireitei to ever say no to him then, won't you?" She snapped tartly.

"Never?!"

"Never." She challenged.

"Why the hell not? That's not like the Nanao I know either."

"Apart from the fact that he's my boss and that's a fireable offence under central forty-six law there is the issue of my brand on my shoulder. I've been celibate since I came down here."

"No way. You were no sweet little angel even before you left."

"The royal seal isn't exactly something you can explain away Kuku-kun."

"Most men wouldn't even notice. Shunsui wouldn't have."

Nanao snorted.

"You men are idiots you know. There is a reason I'm the only woman to ever say no to him. I've run enough women's association meetings to have heard the details multiple times. He's probably the most likely man in Seireitei to find it, especially considering the Kyoraku's seal in the same place."

"He knows now. And he talks about you constantly."

"Drop it Kuku-kun. Right now."

"Someone is touchy."

She scowled.

"Fine, dropping it. You didn't lose that scary glare then."

"I should probably be telling you about the actual plan while they're gone." She changed the subject, rolling her eyes. "Should I be right, which I'm almost positive I am, I'll blow my power cover. I'm supposedly the weakest lieutenant in the goeti at the moment. If Aizen is way ahead of us, which again, I suspect he is, he will make it to the guard. You need to ready for anything because to be perfectly honest we don't know what he's capable of. Depending on the situation in soul society I will probably appear up to help. I need it done without the administrative crap though because it's quite probable that taichou will insist on coming too and quite frankly I'm not going to turn away help like that from the strongest captain in soul society. There's a reason Yama-Ji won't let the guard have him."

"I can do that." Said Kuku thoughtfully. "Anything else?"

"Keep your eyes open for an inside informant. It's just a hunch but it could cause problems."

"Will do."

"What?" She asked at his look.

"It's just strange that's all. I let this little girl go and now you're sitting in front of me all grown up. Capable and confident planning a war... It's just a shock to the system that's all."

"I offered to stay." She reminded quietly.

"You did. And it would have been the biggest mistake of your life. I can honestly say now, after meeting you again, that forcing you to leave was the best thing for you, even if it hurt at the time."

She smiled a little sadly.

"I missed you. Desperately, for years."

"It was a cruel condition of your father's and it only alienated you from him further."

She nodded.

"They're on their way back." She inclined her head to the civilian dressed captains.

"You've done good Hime-chan. We can talk more about it another time, but I'm proud as punch, of both of you."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Nanao-chan? What's the matter? You look awful." Said Shunsui, concerned.

She jumped badly at being addressed. She hadn't expected anyone to be awake, it was just after three am, and yet there he was, sitting under the cherry blossom trees in the darkness like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Taichou."

"Come here." He beckoned, patting the ground next to him.

She sat, pulling her haori closer to her in the chill of the spring night, and watching the cherry blossoms drift down around them in the darkness. It was quite beautiful, she acknowledged. Something about the silvery light of the moon gave the blooms an almost ethereal effect.

"Nightmare?" He asked worriedly.

"More like a scary sleep revelation." She admitted.

"Is it bad?"

She nodded, shivering a little. Shunsui noticed and pulled her into his side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He was so warm and Nanao couldn't bring herself to move, instead snuggling down and breathing in his scent deeply.

Once calmed she spoke.

"Kuku never says anything without reason. I should have caught it sooner. When you and Ukitake-taichou went to order lunch I asked him what had been going on up above. He mentioned three things. Soto and Kagura , Kyoto and Hana, and Yuki's twins. He mentioned Soto because we dated, and Kyoto and Hana because you and I were fighting."

"You've lost me."

"Kyoto and Hana are both on the royal guard. They used to behave like kids on a playground, fighting and teasing and I always maintained that they adored each other. Kuku thought I was crazy. It isn't important. Anyway he mentioned Yuki's twins as well and I thought nothing of it until I woke up a few minutes ago. They were obviously on his mind and it got me thinking. I'm ageing far slower than my sisters. My two nephews and my niece were born before I ever left the royal realm and even before I left my sister and her husband hadn't touched each other in years. They were separated for all intents and purposes and now she just had twins… I said it to Kuku earlier that I suspected an informant in the realm. Aizen isn't stupid enough to try an infiltrate a place he knows nothing about." She laughed a little, hollowly, shaking her head.

"How perfect could it be…?"

"You think the twins are Aizen's." Shunsui breathed.

"Think about it taichou. Who better to ask about the palace than a member of the royal family? Nobody knows the safe areas, the secret passages, hidden rooms like we do. So he befriends her. Then it all just falls into place. Yuki's lonely and everyone knows Aizen is a charmer. With royal children he gains a legitimate right to the throne even if only until his own children are grown if there's nobody more suitable for the job. The laws are so antiquated that the fact that he killed the previous king won't matter. The courts cannot legally keep him from office."

"Nanao-chan… I know it's scary but that's all conjecture. Do you have anything that could possibly suggest this. Anything at all..?"

"Just a feeling. Yuki came into Seireitei yesterday. Royals never enter Seireitei, it's far too dangerous, yet she felt protected enough to waltz right in to my office… That isn't the royal guard's doing taichou. Yuki's always been incredibly nervous…"

"Anything else at all?"

"Yuki is the sister most like me physically… Dark hair dark eyes pale skin… Hinamori fits in that bracket too and he tried it on with me more than once before he left.."

"A type."

She nodded.

"Anything else at all?"

"Damnit taichou I'm not up there! I haven't seen most these people in three hundred years! I'm doing the best I can here. That isn't my damn family! It hasn't been since I was born! I don't have that kind of information!" She said, frustrated.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, a sign Shunsui was now recognising as stress.

"I'm sorry." She whispered finally.

"It's okay Nanao-chan. You're right. I can't expect you to have all the answers. I'm sorry."

"This is just my opinion. It's all just my opinion." Her voice cracked.

"Hey." He soothed. "It's okay." He bundled her up into his arms, rocking her gently while murmuring soothing words into her hair. "It's okay. I'm sorry…"

His heart swelled when she didn't pull away, even when her breathing calmed. They sat together in silence for quite a while. The peace and serenity wasn't lost on them. Nanao could be quite distant but he knew she loved the cherry blossoms just as much as he did and was happy to simply watch them fall. She sighed softly about an hour later, shifting slightly.

"I trust your hunches, Nanao-chan. Those twins are the first port of call when we get there." He felt her stiffen a little. "Don't you think for a moment that I don't know what you're up to. I'm coming with you."

"I've already asked your father to find a way to beat admin."

"Always ten steps ahead, my Nanao-chan."

"Naturally sir." She said amused.

He chuckled and she could feel it rumble deep in his chest under her ear. She smiled unconsciously.

"The day you aren't ahead is the day the sky falls, Nanao-chan."

"I sincerely hope not sir. Come the minute we step foot up there everything is in the moment."

"There's nothing wrong with living in the moment Nanao-chan." Said Shunsui reasonably.

"I haven't anything against living in the moment. But I think, that an idea what's going to happen has merit."

"Do you know what's going to happen, Nanao-chan?"

They weren't talking about the war anymore, Nanao was certain about it.

"I have an idea." She replied softly.

"Ideas have merit." He echoed causing her to laugh softly. "After all this mess?"

"After all this mess." She agreed. "I promise."

He hugged her tighter to him and they went back to watching the cherry blossoms in comfortable silence.

OoOoOoOoOoOo


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Just to reiterate after some confusion last chapter this fiction is AU and Nanao is arguably OOC, she has to be, she's a royal. Also I don't own Bleach! Enjoy!**

OoOoOoOoOoOo

He met her eye after the butterfly fluttered free from his finger and she nodded grimly. It was time. Unfortunately all they could really do was wait…

It was a trying process. Nanao had resorted to pacing after about forty minutes. Over and back, over and back. Shunsui watched her progress, half heartedly teasing her about the path she was wearing in the rug. She cracked a small smile but couldn't make it reach her eyes.

Suddenly a light went out on the reiatsu map, the thirty second district. Almost simultaneously they felt the surge of hollow energy.

"Shit!" Muttered Nanao. "He must have had his damn reiatsu masked. Go. I'll give the order and catch up."

He was gone in a second.

Nanao hit the emergency alarm. Outside she heard it sound across seireitei. She turned on the loud speaker.

"Listen up." She ordered sharply. She gave the extensive orders in her typical no nonsense tone, warned them that it was likely to be the last communication she had with them and shunpoed after her captain. She found he and Ukitake caught up in destroying the army of huge hollows blocking their way to the thirty second.

"Nanao-chan!" Shunsui greeted, with his characteristic cheeky grin. She couldn't help the smile that twitched her lips. As long as Shunsui smiled everything was still okay in her book.

She was twenty minutes fighting and getting frustrated. She wasn't the only one it seemed. Ukitake wasn't happy with their progress either.

"We aren't getting anywhere!" He yelled above the roars of hollows.

"Oh that is enough!" Nanao roared. Instantly her spirit pressure soared, far far higher than even Shunsui had imagined it would.

"Number 51." She barked.

Just like that the hollows disintegrated. Shunsui identified it as a slash kidou, each hollow hit full force in the mask.

Nanao turned to both men, her breathing just slightly heavy.

"Sick of damn minions." She muttered.

"What the hell was that?" Breathed Ukitake.

"Something you never should have seen. It's one of my own. Down here it's illegal, up above it's the royal guard's third set of kidou. It's called war time kidou, for mass enemies."

"Third set? How many are there?" Asked Shunsui.

"In this particular set there are fifty seven spells. There are nine sets of kidou in use. Three through seven are mine."

"Nanao-san… You were on the royal guard?"

"You could eh… say that Jyuu-chan." Said Shunsui, rubbing his neck. "Look Jyuu we were going to go and-"

"Go. I'll take care of down here. I don't want to know how you're getting up or anything that's going to get my head chopped off for treason."

"Thanks Jyuu."

"Thank you Ukitake-san. Hitsugaya, soifon and a few lieutenants are on their way back. I contacted them before leaving."

"Ever intelligent Ise-san. Do try not to get yourselves killed."

"Will do Jyuu-chan."

"Lets go." Said Nanao.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Shunsui almost ran into a wall when Nanao suddenly pulled him around a corner and into an alley.

"What-?"

"Shh!" She hissed. "This is the biggest secret in soul society history now be quiet a minute!"

Shunsui shut his mouth quickly.

"How's dad-"

"He's not. Give me your hand."

He jumped as she guided it down the back of her uniform until his palm was directly over her right shoulder blade.

"Nanao-chan-"

Without warning she kissed him hard in the darkness. He was quick to respond but almost as fast as it started she pulled away. She sighed.

"Don't die on me."

"I'll do my very best Nanao-chan. May I ask the same?"

He saw her silhouette nod once.

"Good now what's the big secret?"

"I'm the king's key." She whispered in his ear. At once a scalding heat hit his palm and his feet left the earth only to slam back down again a split second later.

Nanao caught him by his uniform and before he could get his bearings had pulled him behind yet another building.

"The king's key resides with Yamamoto! It's brilliant! He has a fake but it's still completely true!"

"One of father's best moments." Nanao agreed. "Now shut up!"

"Where are we?"

"Where it drops is unreliable. This is barracks thirteen of the lower guard."

"How far out is that?"

"Just be glad we landed inside castle grounds." She muttered under her breath.

"That far?" He groaned.

"Yes that far. Hands up intruders!"

They turned to find two swords trained on him. Nanao didn't look all that worried so he didn't panic.

"Get that sword out of my face or I'll snap it in half." She said calmly.

The male of the pair swung his sword down on her. Nanao caught it calmly. It didn't even slice the outer lair of skin, Shunsui noted, a little awestruck.

"You'll find my seal on my right shoulder blade."

The woman ran round, sword still on Shunsui, to check.

"Oh my god." She breathed, dropping to her knees and placing her sword down.

"You're majesty I'm sorry!" She gasped. The man's face was almost comical as it changed from superiority to horror. He'd just held up his own princess! He dropped heavily to his knees, murmuring apologies.

"Up. Both of you." She ordered impatiently.

"Your majesty forgive us. There have been reports of a break in just minutes ago. Is your company trustworthy?"

It was not he who set the alarm off, I brought him through the system. He is trustworthy. Show them your crest." She directed to Shunsui.

Shunsui flashed the Kyoraku crest.

"You're commander Kuku's son?"

"His youngest." Shunsui agreed. "Nanao-chan-"

"I know." She agreed. "We don't have the time for this right now. Your intruder is Aizen Sosuke. He is armed and dangerous and will not rest until the royals are wiped out. He wields an illusionary blade. Trust nobody. Identify everybody you speak with by something personal about themselves. I want you to go and spread the word quietly and carefully." Nanao ordered the woman who bowed low and vanished. "As for you." She said, rounding on the man.

"Princess I'm sorry." He bowed again.

"That isn't why I held you back. You were doing your job and I was before your time. I have a different job for you. I want you to go and find commander Kuku. Verify _extensively_ that it is him. Ask him… ask him when we lost our first tooth. Taichou?"

"I was seven."

"I knocked one out in hand to hand at four. Once you have him verified tell him to meet us at the reading tree. He'll know what I'm talking about."

"Yes princess." He bowed and was gone.

"Lets go." Said Nanao.

"Where?"

"The reading tree is directly outside the keep. We need to get there first and unnoticed."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Nanao! Shunsui! How did you get up here without setting off the alerts?"

"It's a long and confidential story. Taichou is already losing his head for it if anyone finds out. I'll muck around with the security system when everything calms down."

"I won't ask then. What's the status?"

"Aizen is here as you may have guessed by the verification we put you through. He's reiatsu masking and entered soul society completely undetected. District thirty two of Rukongai has been wiped out. We figure he's after all the royals so that he may take position of king by force."

"Nanao-chan also has another theory." Said Shunsui carefully.

"Which is?"

"I suspect the twins are Aizen's and that my sister is the unknowing informant."

"If they are all he has to do is kill the king! He has a right to the throne through children!"

"Exactly. Someone needs to go and get those kids. One of you two, preferably taichou."

"Why?"

"I need to move my father. If I'm right Aizen already knows where all the safe rooms are and they won't open a safe room for anything less than the royal seal. I need you to go and gather every squad you possess Kuku-kun. If we spook Aizen, which will happen at some point, I suspect we'll soon find out that he is not in fact alone here as evidenced by the amount of hollows he set on us down below. That leaves taichou to go and find the kids." She pulled a pen and paper from her uniform and drew for three silent minutes. She passed the sheet to Shunsui.

"That's a map of the castle including any safe rooms my sister can access alone. You'll know by the amount of guards in the corridor before if you've come across my father. If you do steer well clear."

Shunsui nodded, taking the surprisingly well done map. He nodded and vanished.

"Kuku-"

"I'm on it. Try stay alive princess?"

"Will do." She said, cracking a smile.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Nanao? How-?"

"Don't question father. Just do as I say. The intruder is Aizen. He wants you dead and quite possibly has knowledge of every safe room in this castle."

"How?"

"Describe Yuki's boyfriend."

"The twins father? He's a nice guy. Tall, pale, brown eyes and hair, glasses… Soft spoken man."

"That's Aizen. It's the same guise he used to fool us down below."

"Oh no…" He breathed.

"Now you see our problem. Get on my back."

"Where are we going?"

"As of yet Aizen is not aware of my presence here. I'm going to send you back to my division."

"But-"

"There is a safe room in the captain's office that I built the kidou on personally. You know that my kidou rooms are the safest in the worlds. I'm hoping to send the twins with you my captain is working on getting them out now. Kuku is readying the troops."

"You brought a non guard soul up here?"

"Do not even start father. Just get on and we'll get through this without killing each other."

His face softened slightly.

"You're Lilia's daughter all right…" He grumbled. He obeyed her though, grunting indignantly as she hefted him up and casting a few quick kidou spells on the room.

"What's that?"

"You aren't reiatsu powerful but all souls possess a certain amount in order to live. I'm faking your signature."

"Oh."

"Lets go." She said, casting a cloaking spell over them. It wouldn't fool Aizen if they were unfortunate enough to run into him but it would keep them out of everyone else's sight.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Nanao-chan! Damnit don't do that!" Shunsui gasped as she touched down in the woods. "You're late!"

Nanao saw her father's eye twitch at the familiar form of address and had to stop herself laughing. Kuku wasn't quite as reserved and laughed softly as he bowed low, holding a bundle tight to his chest. Shunsui, realising who he was facing bowed immediately. He too held a wrapped bundle Nanao noticed.

She couldn't help it this time and laughed.

"Don't laugh at me Nanao-chan!" He pouted.

"Don't call me Nanao-chan in front of my father least you want to be throttled taichou." She said, amused.

Kuku sniggered.

"Father meet Kyoraku-Shunsui. Captain of the eighth division and Kuku-kun's youngest son. Taichou, the king of souls."

Shunsui bowed again and the king motioned to both men to rise.

"And why, Kyoraku-Shunsui, are you here?"

"Em…"

"Because I said so." Said Nanao simply, leaving absolutely no room for argument. "You can take it up with me when someone isn't trying to kill you and my nephews aren't in danger." She nodded to the bundles.

"Cheeky."

"Hey I'm already shamed. You don't scare me. You haven't spoken so much as a word to me in over three hundred years as far as I'm concerned you get no say over me."

"I am not the only one."

"You're the only one who had a choice." She growled. "Ah. You didn't know I knew, did you?"

The man opened and closed his mouth a few times. No sound came out.

"Did you bring them Kuku-kun?"

"Yes. Boys!" He called.

Instantly four stealth uniformed guard members appeared. One pulled off their face covering.

"Princess!" He breathed.

"Kyoto." She grinned. All four officers bowed down to the king.

"What's the order boss?" They asked Kuku.

"Nanao?" Asked Kuku.

"All of you are to return to seireitei with the king and the children. I will send you directly to the inner offices of the eighth division. You will find the outer doors to the offices locked. Behind taichou's desk there is a bookshelf. Pull the book labelled Walcott. He's a poet. I have left the safe room open. The book shelf will close behind you at which point two of you, the twins and the king will be locked in until I let you out again. There is food, water, and beds down there. The third member of the team will remain outside. Our fourteenth seat will join you. She is sister to Tata- Hyioko and will stay on guard with you. She already has her orders. The fourth member is not going anywhere because you are not Kyoto."

She had the blade trained on his throat before anyone could blink. The man's guise fell away to reveal an Arrancar. His finger went for his belt but Nanao slit his throat before it ever got there. He dropped silently to the ground.

"Wow." Said Shunsui.

"Oh my god." Kuku breathed. "Nanao I-"

"It wasn't your fault Kuku." Said Nanao, taking the voice recorder from the Arrancar's belt and erasing the information.

"He didn't send it. Get going all of you."

"Yes m'am." Said all three. Two took the children from the Kyoraku's while the final one joined the king.

Nanao opened a variation of a senkei gate right in front of them. The gate snapped closed behind them leaving the father and his kids.

"I thought you said you weren't organised." Shunsui teased.

"I said we would be playing it by ear. Not that my common sense had taken a holiday Shunsui."

Kuku snickered. Nanao walked away a little, fiddling with the recorder.

"Nanao didn't see much of the king when she lived here. Their relationship has always ranged from extremely stressed to non existent."

"I don't understand why…"

"He doesn't quite know how to handle her. He loved her mother, Shunsui. He loved her so so much and he had to give her up. An idiot could tell just by looking at him that he was never meant to be king. Nanao is her mother personified. I'll show you a picture at some point. She looks like her, sounds like her, her mannerisms are identical and she's ridiculously powerful. The king came to look on her bitterly, as a reminder of what he lost. His second wife hated her and Nanao received the cold shoulder. That isn't fair but it's just the way it happened…"

"It's horrible."

"She wasn't on her own Shunsui. I never let that happen."

"Feel that?" Nanao called.

"There's…three." Said Shunsui. "I can sense his reiatsu in three different places. Is that even possible?"

"Surprisingly easily." Said Kuku. "Who wants where?"

"I think you should go to the one with the guard Dad."

Kuku nodded.

"I'll go to the nursery one, I know what it's like You take the last one Nanao-chan?"

Nanao nodded. All three Shunpoed off.

Shunsui squeezed her hand as they reached their split. She nodded to him and they took off in opposite directions, closing in on their separate wings.

OoOoOoOoOoOo


End file.
